“How often do you attend?” he asked Lady Penelope once they were seated in the carriage.
“At least once a week. I find it quite invigorating to have political and scientific discussions where ideas are shared and a woman’s view is equally as important as a man’s.” She arched a brow as if she expected him to disagree. “There are members of parliament who also attend and I value the opportunity to voice my opinion on votes that are being considered.”
Bloody hell! Did that mean that some of the members of Parliament were taking their advice from a bunch of enlightened citizens who attend a salon?
“You disapprove?” she asked as if reading his mind.
Henry wanted to claim that he did but was it truly the case?
“Do the members of the House of Commons, House of Lords…Parliament as a whole debate and hold votes on the very issues that affect the people who elected them?”
“Well, yes,” he answered.
“Then should not the people have a say?” She then narrowed her eyes. “Even those of us who are not allowed to show our preference by way of voting.”
Henry resisted the urge to pull at his cravat because she was correct.
Many women accepted that decisions were made by men, but there were also several, such as Lady Penelope and the type of women who attended Athena’s Salon who would dearly love to cast a vote for the representative they preferred.
Instead of arguing with her further, he turned his attention to his cousins. “I take it that you enjoyed Athena’s Salon.”
“Oh, yes, Cousin Henry,” Judith gushed. “I particularly enjoy the art. I am to understand that the selection of pieces is on loan for viewing from John Julius Angerstein’s, who I am to understand has a much larger collection, which includes works by William Hogarth.”
“I had not realized you had an interest in art,” Henry commented.
“Neither did I, having not truly been exposed to it before, other than the paintings in your home, which I also admired. I long to learn more and wonder if I might have a talent for creating such beauty.”
Whether Judith had talent or not, she had the right to discover that for herself, which was why he would see that supplies were purchased and delivered because Henry knew that she would not dare spend the money allotted her for what she might believe was not a necessity.
In fact, he would like them all to have what they needed to pursue an interest—giving them the permission that their father never had with no fear of spending funds because they would be gifts from him.
Maybe he could find an instructor to teach Judith how to paint.
It was something to consider, then turned his attention to Bernice.
“You seemed to take enjoyment in the discussions surrounding literature.” He really wanted to know if she had a particular interest in Viscount Tylney but feared that his tone would betray what he hoped she perceived as mild interest.
“It was delightful and I look forward to reading the books that were discussed. They were not housed in the lending library back home.”
He simply nodded. “Everything in my library is available to you.” But, as he voiced his offer, Henry remembered that there was a small selection of books that was tucked away on a top shelf that no innocent miss should read and decided that he would need to see them removed and hidden.
“Are you not going to return me to my home?” Lady Penelope asked when the carriage came to a stop before Henry’s house.
“I would like to discuss a small matter with you, Lady Penelope, and thought to have my cousins dropped at home first.”
“Oh,” she murmured though her eyebrows drew together with a frown.
After he assisted his cousins to the pavement, he got back into the carriage and settled on the bench beside her, instead of across from her where he had sat previously.
“What would you like to discuss, Your Grace?”
He smiled at her sudden nervousness. They weren’t sitting as close as they had when they traveled to the museum, but they were on the same bench and very much alone. As that was the case, if anyone were to see them, her reputation could be tarnished. Except, if he pulled the blinds and she was seen getting out of his marked carriage once she was delivered home, she would be just as ruined.
Lady Penelope reached forward and drew the blind on the window that face the street. “I would rather that carriages passing this one did not wonder as to my presence in yours without a chaperone.”
Either way, this could harm her reputation and something he should have considered. However, it was too late for concerns now.
“What do you know of Viscount Tylney?” He asked. “You seem to know everyone, or about everyone. What information do you have on the gentleman?”
